Hong Kong Media: Key Mineral Resources -the next front line of competition between China and the United States

Hong Kong's "South China Morning Post" August 21 article, original topic: key mineral resources -the next frontline of China and the United States competition, two Chinese resource experts said that the United States and its allies seek to reshape the global supply chain to reduce dependence on China. China At this time, the "friendly" supplier of key minerals should be established. In an article published earlier this month in an article in a well -known magazine. The two experts said that this alliance can also allow trading partners in China and co -construction of the "Belt and Road" initiative in the international trade negotiations about these minerals. Speaking. The focus should be the risk of controlling key mineral shortages and establish a global trade network that is conducive to China's resources and security. At the same time, China should attach importance to strengthening cooperation with other mineral resources suppliers, forming an international resource alliance, and sparking together in international trade negotiations to ensure the security of China's and friendly countries.

Both authors are from Ganzhou. This resource -rich area is the place where the state -owned China Rare Earth Group is located. Their proposal is part of the assessment of basic mineral supply policies in the United States for decades. At present, the United States is focusing on strengthening the alliance with Western countries to try to fight China in a series of aspects such as military to technology. Washington's move shows that it focuses on "shifting from supply to supply security to meet political and diplomatic needs."

According to data from the US Geological Survey, China is the main supplier of minerals that are crucial to cutting -edge technology and the other 25 minerals needed by the United States (pictured). However, China's ability to use these key minerals' strategic value has always been limited because the United States and its Western allies dominate the global mineral resource management system. Under this system, China must purchase pricing for most minerals in accordance with the benchmark formulated by the London Metal Exchange. And transactions are usually carried out in US dollars, which makes the United States have unique influence on prices. The dependence of relevant countries on China has made them regard China as the main source of security risks. Since taking office, Biden has further squeezed China in the global mineral governance system.

Since the 1930s, the United States has been vigilant for its vulnerability in key mineral supply, and has established a complex supply risk assessment system. And China hasn't done this yet. The above author warns that this may endanger China's economic development, especially when the second largest economy is strengthening its dominant position as a global manufacturing country. China's demand for many key mineral resources is increasing, and its dependence on foreign supply of key materials is also increasing, which means that key mineral supply interruptions have also become a threat to China's economic development.

The author does not specifically explain what resources in China depends on overseas. The Hebei Provincial Department of Natural Resources said in April that China's iron ore, copper concentrate and aluminum ore all relied on imports. American allies Australia is the world's largest iron ore production country. South America, such as Peru, Chile, has the world's largest copper mines and political instability Guinea has the largest aluminum ore reserves. At the same time, with the intensification of strategic competition with China, the United States has stepped up to expand the mineral supply chain and try to break the dependence on China. (Author laura zhou, translated by Qiao Heng)

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